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New Health Insurance Study Findings Reported from Kyung Hee University (Utilization Patterns of Korean Medicine: An Analysis of the National Health…

Managed Care Weekly Digest

New Health Insurance Study Findings Reported from Kyung Hee University (Utilization Patterns of Korean Medicine: An Analysis of the National Health Insurance Cohort Database from 2002 to 2013)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- Investigators discuss new findings in Health Insurance. According to news originating from Seoul, South Korea, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "Although Korean Medicine (KM) is an important part of the Korean healthcare system and plays a significant role in chronic and incurable diseases, there is insufficient information about KM utilization. The aim of the study was to identify KM utilization patterns using a national representative sample data."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Kyung Hee University, "KM users aged 0-80 years and older from the nationally representative sample in the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort of 778,506KM users between 2002 and 2013 (were analyzed. Annual changes in utilization patterns were analyzed by sex, nine age groups, five income levels, and numbers of visits and hospitalizations. Utilization patterns by the type of healthcare institution and the top 10 major diseases were studied. Frequencies of KM use differed according to analyses of patients and claims. Women used KM 1.5 times more than did men. Patients in their 40s and 50s made up one third of KM users. In contrast to other studies, high-income groups used KM more than did low-income groups. More than 96% of ambulatory patients used mostly KM clinics, and more than 76% of inpatients used KM hospitals. Musculoskeletal disorders were the main disease treated, which conformed to the results of previous studies. The results suggest that women, people in their 40s and 50s, and people with a relatively high income use KM more often than other patients."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Further comparison studies of both Western medicine in Korea and other countries should be conducted."

For more information on this research see: Utilization Patterns of Korean Medicine: An Analysis of the National Health Insurance Cohort Database from 2002 to 2013. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2016;22(10):824-831. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine can be contacted at: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, 140 Huguenot Street, 3RD Fl, New Rochelle, NY 10801, USA. (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. - www.liebertpub.com; Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine - www.liebertpub.com/overview/journal-of-alternative-and-complementary-medicine-the/26/)